Insta-Shampoo?!

Running late again?  Here is an amazing idea - "dry shampoo."  REALSIMPLE.com (9/12) did a "road test" of over 75 variations of dry shampoo and selected their best bets.  These will "instantly refresh and revive your hairstyle and render the rushed shower unnecessary"  - ok, let me know if these work for you!  (FYI, the much earlier version of this was brushing talc powder through your hair - and, yes, it did work!)

My version would be for hair that needs help with body so I'm looking at Arrojo ReFinish if I read this correctly.  It runs $22, but that may not be bad for my travel needs since this won't be an everyday product for me.  If you have curly hair, you are in luck - they recommend Suave Professionals Waterless Foam Shampoo at only $3.40 at drugstore.com.  Sigh...always wanted natural curl!

Check out the other options at www.realsimple.com (9/12).

A new look for the new year!

Starting today, you will notice some changes to my blog - all designed to keep readers interested and to make it easier for you to find archived posts on the topics you are most interested in. Following each post, you will see labels that define the topics covered in that particular post. You can search for other similar ones by entering one of these labels (see the following list)in the blog's search! Following each item in the list is the number of posts on that given topic.

* BARTERING (2)
* BEGGING FOR INPUT (8)
* BEING GREEN (4)
* BOOKS (5)
* CLEANING (4)
* COUPONS/DEALS (37)
* DIY (13)
* DONATING (8)
* EDUCATION (7)
* ENTERTAINMENT (22)
* FOOD HINTS (4)
* FREEBIES (32)
* GARAGE SALES (3)
* HEALTH/FITNESS (5)
* HOLIDAYS (15)
* HOME IMPROVEMENT (5)
* JOBS (4)
* JUST FOR FUN (6)
* MISCELLANEOUS (3)
* MOTIVATIONAL (7)
* ORGANIZING (8)
* PERSONAL FINANCE (17)
* PETS (3)
* PHOTOS (2)
* RECIPES ON A BUDGET (8)
* SCRAPBOOKING (1)
* SOCIAL (1)
* TRAVEL (6)
* WARDROBE (6)


The colors and fonts have been changed - please feel free to let me know what you like or dislike about the new look. Thanks for reading!

Missing in action???

Hi Readers...

I have not forgotten you, but am traveling on business all of this week...I will put some new posts on starting Thursday morning...I know you are breathlessly waiting!
Have a great week!

Made in the USA ...or not?

I admittedly don't open every "isn't this cool" or "check this out" email from friends and family. There seldom is time to read everything that comes in (hey, I've got a blog to write, a job to find, Avon to sell...you get the picture), but every now and then one hits home. This is not intended as a political statement on my part, but it does bring up some good points and (a) helps us with lower prices and (b) helps build the US economy at least a bit. I thought this one might be blog-worthy...though, sorry, don't know the actual author!

"My grandson likes Hershey's candy. It is marked made in Mexico now. So I do
not buy it any more. My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico now.
I have switched to Crest. You have to read the labels on everything.

This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb aisle and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off brand labeled, "Everyday Value." I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - they were the same except for the price. The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA in a company in Cleveland , Ohio .

So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day that are made right here.

So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets....yep, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada . The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at almost half the price!

So my challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!

If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time! Stop buying from China ..........

(We should have awakened a decade ago......)

Let's get with the program.... help our fellow Americans keep their jobs and create more jobs here in the U.S.A."

So what qualifies me as a penny pincher?

Married, mother of two teenagers (one in college and one in high school), recently laid off from executive position and we have (count them)seven dogs...need I say more? If this is not the ideal penny pincher profile, I don't know what is!

I will be sharing great deals, coupons, money-saving hints and funny anecdotes on this blog. Likewise I look forward to readers sharing their ideas! Thanks and welcome!